As you may know by now, Inspired Magazine is a sucker for data visualization. That’s why we invited Tony Shin – a social media ninja and creative design samurai – to curate the weekly dose of infographics. If you like them as much as we do check out some of the older editions and follow Tony on Twitter and Facebook as well!

1. How NOT to Make an Infographic

Though a bit unconventional to my usual posts, and quite honestly, not a very good design at all, Brian Carter said it best in his version of an ‘infographic’. He pointed out that “76%’ of infographics don’t use any scientific data.” Going on to also state that if these ‘infographics’ have no actual data or facts, they’re merely just designs and illustrations, not infographics. Boom. I completely agree. As most of you know, there are hundreds and hundreds of infographics that hit the Internet everyday. But can we really call them infographics? Brian’s graphic really isn’t all that great. In fact, I’m sure he intended it not to be. All of this to poke fun at those ‘infographic’ designers. Ha, I love it.

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2. The Perks of Working at Google, Facebook, Twitter and More

Since the only noise seems to be about these major tech companies, Resume Bear decided to show us the perks of working at these companies on Mashable. As if most of us don’t already dream about working for these giants, this infographic highlights some pretty interesting perks: Office amenities, Flexible time off, stipends, and my favorite, food perks. All on top of the good ol’ benefits most corporate companies offer. The perks are truly amazing, as they should be. After all, where would these companies be without the people who run them?

4. Facebook by the Numbers

Mashable put this great infographic together that highlights the numbers behind one of the biggest inventions ever to change the economy and our lives, Facebook. They not only give you an overview of what’s been going on at Facebook and how much it has grown, they also break down top 5 categories all across the board, showing you what’s popular among Facebook users. Along with some random comedy, this infographic will show you how far Facebook has come, along with some interesting facts about funding and user statistics. One comical fact that stood out: “83% of women are annoyed by their Facebook friends.” No wonder I see so much drama on Facebook. It really has changed our lives.

5. Community Bingo

A popular infographic this week and honestly, because it’s one of my favorite shows, is this Community Bingo infographic. As the NBC hit TV series is in its 3rd season, the story of the main cast at Greendale Community College strikingly resembles those you may see at your local community college. So to honor and commemorate the 3rd season of the show, Online Associates Degree put together this fun infographic you could print out and play Bingo! on. What’s your favorite episode out of all the seasons? What’s your favorite episode of this season? Mine is definitely the ‘6 timelines’ episode. Ridiculously funny.

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About The Author

A double major in Economics and Management from the University of Washington, this Seattle native regularly contributes his work to several other publications. He has moved into social media and creative design in hopes to help lead and innovate the future of information with others. Follow him on twitter: @ohtinytony

I get the spirit of #1, but the definition is a bit too narrow. Having been in the “infographic” business for over two decades, the visual representation of data or quantifiable facts is not a requirement of an infographic — in fact, that narrow definition leads us toward data visualization, arguably a specialist subgenre. An infographic should take a complex concept, idea, process, workflow, dataset or simulation and represent it in a more “human” consumable, non-specialist manner — whether statistical information on population demographics, simulation of astrophysical phenomena, or the stages it takes for a submarine to surface from a deep sea dive. In other words, convey specialist “information” in a “graphical” form for broader non-specialist consumption. I agree, too many things classified as infographics are merely supportive illustrations or worse, reimagined presentation slides of little meaningful content. Sadly, the infographic has come to mean in recent years a design approach and visual style rather than a method for conveying complex information to a lay audience.